Boris Johnson was branded "The Incredible Sulk" after he cancelled a planned press conference because of noisy protests in Luxembourg following his meeting with Jean-Claude Juncker, as the European Commission president said the UK has still “not yet made” proposals to replace the Irish backstop.
It comes as Jolyon Maugham QC and rebel MPs warned that there is a “flaw” in the legislation demanding the prime minister asks Brussels for a three-month Brexit delay.
The Lib Dems’ foreign spokesperson Chuka Umunna said the party could win 200 seats at the next election, while leader Jo Swinson ruled out any electoral pact with Labour or forming a coalition with Jeremy Corbyn.
Here's how we covered developments as they happened:
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of events at Westminster and beyond.
As you may be aware Boris Johnson compared himself to the Hulk at the weekend, provoking much mirth and mockery.
The European Parliament’s Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said: “Even to Trumpian standards the Hulk comparison is infantile.”
And Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo has also weighed in – claiming the monster he played can be “dense and destructive”.
Incredible Hulk star Mark Ruffalo challenges Boris Johnson after he likened himself to superhero
‘Boris Johnson forgets that the Hulk only fights for the good of the whole’ the actor said
Chuka Umunna has told The Independent’s editor he would want the Lib Dems to fight to rejoin the EU even if Brexit happens.
As well as stressing the party pro-European credentials, the foreign affairs spokesperson is expected to brand Johnson a “peddler of hate” in his keynote speech at the Bournemouth conference today.
Lib Dems will apply to rejoin EU if Brexit goes ahead, says Chuka Umunna
Boris Johnson is a peddler of hate, says Lib Dem MP
Boris Johnson asked whether Michael Gove was “a bit cracked” after the Brexiteer betrayed him during the 2016 Tory leadership race, David Cameron has said.
The former prime minister recalled the fraught battle to replace him in No 10 in his memoir, which is being serialised in The Times ahead of its publication on Thursday.
Gove initially supported Johnson’s campaign but then dramatically withdrew his backing and announced he would stand himself - leading the now-PM to quit the contest.
Johnson also texted Cameron to say he felt like a “leper” in the aftermath of the referendum.
Boris Johnson has said he believes “passionately” that a new Brexit deal can be struck with Brussels as he prepares to hold his first face-to-face talks as PM with Jean-Claude Juncker in today
But he will warn the European Commission president – during a working lunch of snails, salmon and cheese – that he will reject any offer to delay Britain’s departure.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Johnson said he was working “flat out” to reach an agreement.
He said: “If we can make enough progress in the next few days, I intend to go to that crucial summit on October 17 and finalise an agreement that will protect the interests of business and citizens on both sides of the Channel, and on both sides of the border in Ireland ... I believe passionately that we can do it.”
No 10 made clear the PM will stress he wants a new deal agreed by 18 October.
Dominic Cummings, the PM’s most senior adviser, said the government could suspend parliament for a second time if it loses a Supreme Court battle on Tuesday.
But a No 10 source said Cummings only made the double prorogation comment as “a joke”.
Our political editor Andrew Woodcock has the details.
Dominic Cumming’s proposal to suspend parliament a second time was ‘joke’, No 10 says
Idea came up as Downing Street advisers discussed response to looming Supreme Court rulingTory rebel David Gauke has said Boris Johnson must obey the law on Brexit.
Referring to the PM’s Incredible Hulk analogy, Gauke, who lost the Tory whip over his Brexit stance, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Maybe the Incredible Hulk doesn't have to comply with the law, but the British government does.
“And if Parliament has neither supported a deal, nor supported a no-deal departure, then the law is clear that he has to seek an extension, the prime minister has to seek an extension and that is what he will have to do.
“That is what the law states.”
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has insisted the government would comply with the law.
And yet he said there were still “considerations” about it would obey the legislation passed in parliament last week. “I think the precise implications of the legislation need to be looked at very carefully,” he told the Today programme.
“We are doing that … the legislation that was required, the surrender bill, is deeply, deeply flawed.”
After Sam Gyimah joined the Lib Dems from the Tories, Jo Swinson’s party is expecting more defections during this week’s conference.
Members have even written a song about it.
Boris Johnson questioned Michael Gove’s mental health after his former ally knifed him in the back during the 2016 Conservatives leadership contest, according to David Cameron.
The latest juicy details from the former PM’s autobiography include texts Johnson sent him in the messy aftermath of the referendum. “Blimey, is he [Gove] a bit cracked?”
Read more here:
David Cameron says Boris Johnson asked him if Michael Gove was 'a bit cracked'
Former PM claims Mr Johnson complained that he was treated like 'a leper' in wake of Brexit voteSenior Lib Dem MP Sir Norman Lamb warned that the party’s new policy of revoking Article 50 was “playing with fire … the polarisation that we are seeing is incredibly dangerous.”
Our political editor has all the details of the row here.
Jo Swinson's promise to cancel Brexit 'playing with fire', senior MP Sir Norman Lamb warns
Former minister warns that revoking Article 50 could 'break the social contract' with votersFormer Tory MP Sarah Wollaston says leaving the Conservatives to join the Lib Dems was like walking into “a wall of love”.
Wollaston has told The Times that “several” rebel Tories are considering defecting, with independent Heidi Allen also thought to be gearing up to join Jo Swinson’s team.
Now word yet on whether any announcements will happen at this week’s conference.
If you’re interested in more of the latest details from the David Cameron book, the former PM has revealed he immediately rang European leaders and then-US president Barack Obama to apologise after losing the 2016 Brexit referendum.
“To each I said the same thing: ‘I had a strategy to keep Britain in the EU. I executed the strategy. It didn’t work. I’m sorry.’”
He branded Scotland’s former first minister Alex Salmond “the slipperiest of characters” and said Dominic Cummings had “something of the night” about him.
Cameron has also admitted to getting “off his head” on cannabis at Eton. More amusingly, he revealed he had a stiff gin at 8.10am on the morning of his resignation, and began smoking roll-ups in his last days No 10.
He also suggested Boris was among the crew who initiated him into the Bullingdon club at Oxford by standing on the table of his room, smashing bottles of booze with a golf club.
A Labour government would set up a royal commission to consider the legalisation of drugs.
“There is nothing more important than preserving the life of our citizens,” said Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary. “Our current approach to drugs is simply not doing that.”
More details here.
Labour to ‘consider legalising all drugs’ including cocaine and heroin
‘The war on drugs is funding gangs, fuelling crime, giving children easy access on social media and disproportionately criminalising working class young men,' says David Lammy
Jo Swinson has said the Lib Dems are in talks with other parties about standing down in certain seats at the next general election to ensure that pro-remain candidates – but ruled out the prospect of the party stepping aside for Labour candidates.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Swinson said that such an agreement had worked well in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election last month.
Asked whether the party would stand aside for Labour candidates, the Lib Dem leader said: “That’s a different question because Labour are not a remain party, Labour are trying to deliver a Labour Brexit.
“But where we agree with others on stopping Brexit, we are in those discussions.
Swinson added: “They (Labour) want to deliver a Labour Brexit, they’ve been very clear about that, they’ve said they’re not a remain party.
“I’m a Liberal Democrat, I’m about stopping Brexit, I’m about keeping our place in the European Union, so I want to make sure that people have the choice to vote for a remain candidate who will stop Brexit and therefore, standing down for Labour doesn’t achieve that.”
Are we actually ready for a general election this autumn? The Cabinet Office has been urged to undertake a risk assessment of its own capabilities to support a snap election events.
The Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) warned there was an “unrealistic expectation” that polls will always be delivered regardless of the “landscape, timing, funding or the capacity of the professionals administering them”.
They said that they remained concerned that an apparent “lack of capacity” and the government’s “unwillingness” to allow officials to engage with the electoral community to make “sensible contingency preparations”.
Boris Johnson is heading for a “working lunch” with Jean-Claude Juncker at Le Bouquet Garni restaurant in Luxembourg.
Here’s the official place setting for the occasion. Snails, salmon and cheese on the menu, we’re told.
The BBC’s Adam Fleming has provided further details.
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier have arrived together for their lunch with Boris Johnson’s group.
Boris Johnson and Jean-Claude Juncker are posing for photos before they get down to their first face-to-face Brexit discussions since he became PM.
Johnson was asked he was optimistic about the talks. “Cautious, cautious,” he told reporters.
Juncker was asked if he was confident of progress as he entered. “We will see,” he replied.
